Avatar The Last Airbender: "Touched By Fire And Earth" (Toph Beifong)

S3Ep9: Nightmares and Daydreams

I cleared the leaves from my path as I followed my friends to a vast field. Fluffy sheep grazed to the left, and Sokka held the map in his hands. "This is it," he announced, pointing to a spot on the map. "The official rendezvous point for the invasion force."

Toph, always curious, asked, "How did you choose this place?"

Sokka grinned, folding the map. "Before we split up, my dad and I discovered this island on a map. It's uninhabited, and the harbour is surrounded by cliffs. It seemed like the perfect secluded place."

I stretched my arms and nodded. "I like it."

Katara, sitting on a rock, began brushing her hair. "Yeah, Sokka, great choice. And we're here four days ahead of schedule."

Aang interrupted, his voice filled with nervousness. "Wait, four days? The invasion is in four days?"

I rolled my eyes and quipped sarcastically, "No, Aang, it's gonna be next year."

Sokka let out a yawn. "Whatever, it's like four days from now. Let's just calm down and..." His words trailed off as he dozed off, snoring loudly.

I sat up, trying to reassure Aang. "Don't worry, Aang. We still have the next four days to prepare and get ready." I settled back down on the ground, slowly drifting off to sleep.

In my dream, I found myself back in the crystal catacombs beneath Ba Sing Se, wearing the costume that X had destroyed. I removed the mask, running my hands over its surface and feeling a wave of nervousness wash over me. A part of me yearned to put it back on, to reclaim that familiar identity.

Yet, as much as I longed for it, I couldn't bring myself to do it. Suddenly, I heard the haunting voice of X echoing through the chamber. My eyes darted around the room until they landed on him, sitting nonchalantly on a rock, sharpening the swords he had taken from me.

"Bitter memories, aren't they?" he taunted, a smug grin on his face as he holstered the swords.

Clutching my fist, I retorted, "This is just a dream, anyway. What does it matter?" As I spoke, my clothes changed, now resembling the ones I currently wore in the present time.

X stood up, walking with his hands behind his back. "I suppose it doesn't matter, but..." His voice trailed off, and before my eyes, he transformed into the likeness of General Zsu Zao I stumbled back in fear, but just as quickly, X returned to his normal form. "Something the matter?" he asked with a sly grin.

I couldn't make sense of the sudden change, and before I could process it further, I was abruptly pulled out of the dream. Opening my eyes, I realized it was morning, and the realization hit me that what I had experienced was actually a nightmare. 

I rubbed my eyes and rose to my feet, only to see Aang nearby, furiously striking a tree over and over again, his anger palpable. Katara took the initiative and approached Aang, concern etched on her face. "Hey, how long have you been up?"

"A couple of hours," Aang replied, still incessantly hammering away at the tree. "I've got a lot more skills to refine if I'm going to fight Ozai." He moved around, chopping at the tree with increasing intensity.

"You know, there is such a thing as overtraining," Katara gently remarked. Just as she spoke, Aang delivered a forceful punch to the tree. I watched as the impact reverberated through the trunk, causing Aang to lose his balance and fall to the ground. It was clear that Aang was pushing himself beyond his limits.

Throughout the rest of the day, Aang continued to train relentlessly, and I couldn't help but sense that there was more to his intense training than met the eye. There was an underlying tension and turmoil within him that he was trying to address through his rigorous practice.

Sitting under the night sky, I held Toph in my arms, refusing to fall asleep after the haunting nightmare I had experienced. I didn't want to risk facing that kind of darkness again. Aang, too, seemed unable to find rest, tormented by his own nightmares.

As the next two nights passed, Aang's condition worsened. He became increasingly paranoid and sleep-deprived, losing himself to exhaustion. However, we were determined to help him. Katara, Sokka, Toph, and I worked tirelessly, creating a comfortable bed made of sheep fur for him.

Once Aang was finally settled, I found myself lost in deep thought, contemplating the meaning behind my own nightmare and the discrepancies that troubled me. Many questions lingered in my mind, but before I could explore them further, Toph reached out and grabbed my arm, pulling me into her warm and comforting embrace.

"Sleep," she commanded gently, holding me close.

I kissed Toph tenderly, holding her as I gradually succumbed to sleep. Uncertainty filled my mind as I wondered if I truly possessed the strength and readiness required for the upcoming invasion, and if I could confront X and fulfil my duty. "I guess we will find out," I whispered softly before drifting off, allowing the embrace of sleep to carry me away into the unknown.